Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office Searches House, Office of Ex State Minister of Justice Mito Kakizawa (UPDATE 1)

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:55 JST, December 14, 2023 (updated at 13:20 JST)

The special investigation squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office began searching an office of former state minister of justice Mito Kakizawa at the Diet members’ office building in the Nagatacho district of Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, and his house in Tokyo on Thursday morning over his involvement in an alleged violation of the Public Offices Election Law in connection with mayoral election of Koto Ward in Tokyo.

Kakizawa left the Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday.

Kakizawa is suspected of his involvement in alleged illegal posting of paid online advertisements by a camp of Yayoi Kimura, whom Kakizawa supported. Since October, the squad has searched Kimura’s home, the ward mayor’s office, Kakizawa’s local office in Koto Ward and other places.